AfterDawn: News

HBO moves to Blu-ray as well

HBO Home Video, following in the footsteps of its parent company Warner, have confirmed that they will dropping HD DVD support and moving exclusively to rival Blu-ray.

HBO Home Video president Henry McGee stated that the company will be "following the same policy as Warner Home Video" and stop releasing titles on HD DVD at the end of May.



New Line Home Entertainment, another studio distributed by Warner recently made the same decision to follow its parent company and move to Blu-ray. BBC Home Video, a third company under the Warner umbrella, has yet to make a decision but it seems likely it will follow Warner to Blu-ray.

Source:
HD Digest

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Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 9 Jan 2008 16:51

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• 18 comments

• red2tango

  I thought HBO was going to stay.Oh well, all is good for BLU!

  9.1.2008 16:55 #1

• goodswipe

  Well duh, that was a given.

  9.1.2008 17:07 #2

• dsgtrain

  AARGH! Another company not thinking about there customers!

  9.1.2008 17:09 #3

• ikari

  Originally posted by dsgtrain: AARGH! Another company not thinking about their customers!The more tech-savvy customers, I agree.
  
  Honestly, I don't think the general consumer cares right now. Now that is not to say they won't if the Hardware locking and video down scaling happens. Sadly, it will be too late.
  
  I wonder if general consumer is still unaware of the dangers that all of the half-baked protection schemes/formats being cooked up are going to cost them in the next 5-7 years.
  
  Sadly, I am due for a Home Entertainment Center technology refresh (7 year old rear projection and a 6 year old Onkyo Receiver) but I am still waiting for the axe to drop on the format wars.

  9.1.2008 17:41 #4

• tavek

  Another one bites the dust huh. Well very soon EVERY DMV, HOSPITAL
  and SUPERMARKET will be denying BLUE RAY and then swithing over by the summer! I just bought a ps 3 last night, now I feel cool and can say WE(Blue ray) like it means something.

  9.1.2008 17:48 #5

• vinny13

  Sweet! HBO rules :)

  9.1.2008 17:58 #6

• Chavo

  I'm not surprised by the news.

  9.1.2008 18:49 #7

• sgriesch

  Originally posted by Chavo: I'm not surprised by the news.Surprised no, disappointed yes. It would have been nice to have a choice of which format that I could have purchased.

  9.1.2008 19:12 #8

• redchinee

  Quote:Originally posted by Chavo: I'm not surprised by the news.Surprised no, disappointed yes. It would have been nice to have a choice of which format that I could have purchased.Why want to choose. Both are just about the same. They are both HD. I think its good if this war ends sooner than later cuz it means less confusion and less money wasted.

  9.1.2008 20:26 #9

• Tecbot

  Everyone had a year to choose, when one format constantly beats the shit out of another one for a entire year the following actions make sense. The consumers did pick now the companies are backing the pick so they can see profit out of the format, the numbers for hd sales are extremly low because no one wants to dive in yet...now they will that a winner has clearly emerged.
  
  Only show ive ever seen on hbo is curb your enthusiam...dont even know what else is there...

  9.1.2008 23:42 #10

• mspurloc

  Not really news, since their parent company is Warner.
  The more expensive, inferior format with the crippling DRM wins out.
  Big surprise.
  Now Sony can jack up the price, since it will have a monopoly license.
  
  Learn from this, world!
  Hollywood runs you.
  Hollywood controls your world.

  10.1.2008 00:20 #11

• iamgq

  CRAZY BLUE-RAY MOB, THROW YOURE SIGHNS IN THE AIR ONE MO TIME!

  10.1.2008 00:40 #12

• dsgtrain

  Quote:Quote:Originally posted by Chavo: I'm not surprised by the news.Surprised no, disappointed yes. It would have been nice to have a choice of which format that I could have purchased.Why want to choose. Both are just about the same. They are both HD. I think its good if this war ends sooner than later cuz it means less confusion and less money wasted.
  But the format that is coming out on top is the DRM crippled, more expensive format.
  
  Dave!

  10.1.2008 07:11 #13

• ChromeMud

  If you don't like it,don't buy it.
  Everyone knows about DRM.People just want an end to a format war so they can buy a HD movie that they like.
  Yes there are tears,people who are angry,but it's happened before and it will happen again.Some of us have taken a chance knowing it was pot-luck and here we all are.We didn't die from it,some of us have hurt pride,some of us are having a good old gloat at the others expense and some of us are just quietly watching a load of fanboy's having a fit over who's right and wrong.
  It's funny and sad at the same time.Cheers...

  10.1.2008 09:12 #14

• mattkind

  Well if customers stop buying blu ray titles , things may change a little bit. I will remain on HD DVD side till the end , cos i believe, and many do so that its the best format for varius reasons.

  10.1.2008 10:43 #15

• emugamer

  So many people complain about the crippling DRM. Just use the player for what it's supposed to be used for for now and worry about the DRM later. Be patient and let the hackers do their job. Have faith. True "fair use" will prevail.
  
  A Corporation will always give the customer what is best for the Corporation. So why are people outraged by new DRM? It should be expected. No DRM is full proof.

  10.1.2008 12:19 #16

• sgriesch

  Quote:Quote:Originally posted by Chavo: I'm not surprised by the news.Surprised no, disappointed yes. It would have been nice to have a choice of which format that I could have purchased.Why want to choose. Both are just about the same. They are both HD. I think its good if this war ends sooner than later cuz it means less confusion and less money wasted.I like having a choice when I want to buy something. I have both a Blue-Ray and a HD DVD player. If one were cheaper than the other, or there was a special sell, then I could buy either one. Competition helps to keeps prices down. I will not be paying $30 per movie to replace my over 1000 dvd collection, just because it is out on hi-def. I would, however, buy more movies if they were cheaper. To me, the price point on the movies and the hardware is still being figured out. The companies haven't hit the right mark yet, so the average consumer isn't ready to invest in a hi-def TV, player, and all new media. The more tech savy consumers like us are the ones so interested right now.

  10.1.2008 13:34 #17

• borhan9

  Well if the parents are going to do it of course the kids are going to follow :P

  10.1.2008 19:16 #18